Monday, July 23, 2012

He is a pre-teen now, and although when I fixed up the room I had a teenager in mind, I just could not help but be sentimental and put up a lot of his stuff from his early childhood! (sniff, sniff).

Transitioning from child to teen is a lot to handle, and I know that although decorating a room would not be as difficult as the actual thing, I still feel that a lot of you can share the same thoughts I have now - How do you make a room that's not too grown-up and not to childish?

Well, I tried... and here are the results. :-)

Wall of art

I had to put some of his art works done when he was younger. They are beautiful and at the same time, add color and remind him of his ideas and creativeness. He loves maps and these are 2 souvenir maps of 2 of his favorite cities - Chicago and New York City.

Over-all lay out

His room is huge - so decorating it was a bit tough because there was so much space to fill. I decided to divide it into zones.

Lounging zone

Media zone and

Study zone

Most of his stuff is from the RE line by TARGET (bookshelves, desk, chair, lounge chair and futon). We placed a futon here so that it would be perfect for sleep-overs with his friends. He's got a pet Gecko and some other knick knacks all around. The green striped rug is from Ikea.

I miss the days when he did a lot of these

There you have it. My son's room in a nutshell. I hope when your kids reach this point, you will not let him forget too, the child he once was and will always be in your eyes!

Friday, July 20, 2012

that they gave this huge house to their dogs But alas, though close to the pool....

It is no use at all... for it is dark, musty and and oh, so ugly...Then we came along, to save this little house from it's woesWe worked and hired Kuya Freddie, to save this space and make it no waste

We added a shower, plastered the walls white..

Hubby put in a new sink with heater inside..

After all the work, and cleaning we didHere she is now, ready for our kids...

For showers and changing...

For drying or sitting...

Now guests are welcome anytime...

To change and chill, hang-out and eventually swim...

Even kids well or sick, can swim and play with no fear...

Supplies abound to block the sun even mosquitos and insects and germs are no match for ready scouts...

And so this little house is now a welcome sight,for anyone who wants to come,

A happy ending indeed for a once woeful abode, now will be filled with splash and laughter of old.Oh this little pool house smile and take pride for you are now considered our family's little haven by the pool... :-)
Ok, you realize I'm no poet right?! I think I better stick to decorating! LOL! :-)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The first thing you see as you enter a lot of homes is an entry (naturally of course :-)).

And it is important that you try to make this space as welcoming as possible.

Think of it as a Book Cover - when you see a book, sometimes, you buy it just because the cover looks interesting right? Same thing with your home, the entry sort of pre-empts the anticipation of what's in store further inside. It gives your guests a glimpse of WHO lives there, WHAT they may be like and of course, tells them HOW welcome they are.

Here are a few examples of how you can create your own welcoming entry.

1) The "Entry" above is actually not an entry - but it could be. A bunch of personal photographs, including old ones, are always a nice way of telling people who lives there and reflects a lot what the family values - their family.

For small spaces - via Martha Stewart Living

2) The one above is a perfect example of how to make a small entry in a small space or very narrow hallway. Kevin Sharkey made this so simple - a hanging shelf + 4 mirrors + some interesting objects + A small seat underneath + basket for scarves, jackets, bag, etc. = Simple & practical glam

3) Plants and flowers can make anyone feel welcome. And so this, with a huge mirror, to see yourself as you come and go from the house, makes this very welcoming. The acrylic table is substantial without being overwhelming and does not obstruct a lot of one's reflection since it's there but not really (makes sense to you?! :-)). The small chandelier gives of enough sparkle to anyone standing underneath.

4) If you don't have any overhead lighting entry - this is the perfect example of how you can evoke warmth to your small space. Smart use of floor lamps here, and again, the flowers, plus the picture with some decorative objects & lucite stool, creates a lovely perch to anyone who comes in.

5) Using a unique or bold paint or even a bold wall paper is perfect for entryways. It's small enough to handle a dose of boldness without committing your whole house to something that may be overwhelming at times. The vignette above is a perfect example of that - trellis wallpaper by Kelly Wreastler would also be perfect for a space like this don't you think?

7) For the bigger houses, a nice entry with 25 foot ceiling makes the room feel more open and inviting. This is one great example. The huge plant juxta-positioned across the entry table balances out this beautiful space.

8) This one I love. A great example of how you can incorporate having kids and a lot of other daily chore stuff into your entry. I admit it's a bit informal, but for most families, this very functional and cute space is a good inspiration for a multi-funtional entry.

9) The one above is from one of my favorite bloggers Lauren Liess. This is her actual home and I love how she made it feel cozy despite the huge tall walls. The gold frames just evokes classic romance with it's pop of orange on the door gives you a good jolt of energy and vibrance. You also see the mirror with a small shelf and the narrow bench in the corner, practical, simple and does not try to catch attention away from the wall art. I also love that she used natural fiber rug in this entry - so practical if you have pets or kids, or a very, very busy entry!

10) If your a classic fashionista, this entry is for you. The black and white geometric floors coupled with the striped wall clearly evokes someone who is bold and daring but knows exactly when to put on the breaks. Again, a mirror, interesting objects and a chair, still brings about funtionality into its glamorous design.

11) I absolutely adore this entry. I love how an antique desk is transformed into a welcoming table in this new traditional styled home. Your favorite book opened to a favorite page, wether it be a picture book or not, is a great way to incorporate personality into your entry.

12) Of course, if you've got the space for it, an entry smack in the middle of the room is always grand no matter how big or small your entry is. This is a good example of how to set up your entry if your don't have any walls to put a mirror or table against. Here the owners placed a bowl of fruit with greenery - this just shouts out, come in, relax and let's eat!

Lastly, I cannot finish this article without mentioning our own entry.

Our eclectic entry

I need to let you know that making an entry does not entail spending a lot of money (Our table was from Walmart, on clearance for less than $50). The mirror has a sentimental value to me. It was given by my mother, not expensive really, but just the thought of her buying it for our first home, is enough for me to place it on that important spot.

Up top, I placed an orchid, a green box (for keys, rubber bands, etc) & typography art that I recently got from TJ Maxx for $2.99, 2 brass dears from a Yard sale ($5 for the pair), a brass antique urn from Salvation Army for $3 (Yes, I made sure it was empty :-)) and clearance grey candle from TARGET for $5). The Owl ceramic umbrella stand is from TJ Maxx for $24.

up close and personal

Underneath I had an old shelf placed on its side where a book resides atop. I usually change this up every couple of months - I put a small lamp, pictures, otherbooks, etc.

So be playful, experiment and find out which look goes well for you and your family. I hope you are somehow inspired with these suggestions.

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About Me

Hi, my name is VEL and I am a Mom, Wife, Kiddiedoc, an All-things-design fan & blogger. This is my online journal of things that are beautiful and wonderful to me, and hopefully, to you too! Welcome and enjoy!